Abuakwa North: Aggrieved NDC branch executives warn Presbyterian Church over venue

Some aggrieved branch executives of the NDC in Abuakwa North constituency in the Eastern region have cautioned the Presbyterian Church of Ghana against granting permission for its church building and premises to be used as a venue for the parliamentary and presidential primaries on Saturday, May 13, 2023.

According to them, chaos may erupt in the church during the primaries if the decision is not withdrawn due to intense disagreement over the venue.

In a petition sent to the Reverend Minister in charge of the Presbyterian Church in Kukurantumi, the aggrieved delegates stated that,

"We write to bring to your attention our grievances on the above subject matter about your church being cited as the venue for the upcoming NDC Constituency Parliamentary Primaries slated for Saturday, 13th May 2023. The NDC as a political party was birth on the concept of probity and accountability and we the under listed are seeking that your Noble Church reconsiders letting out your premises to the NDC party to undertake the event stated supra.”

The petition continued that “this move has been necessitated by the fact that only but few people decided against holding the congress at your church without recourse to the dictates of the Constitution of the NDC. This move has caused severe unrest within the rank file of the party’s grassroots.”

The petitioners led by Mohammed Frimpong, a branch Chairman of Kukurantumi averred that the “poorly taken decision can lead to spontaneous reactions if the matter is not resolved through stakeholder engagement. Again, as concerned party members, it will be a dent in the image of the party to sit unconcerned for chaos to erupt in the House of the Lord through a political event”.

The aggrieved delegates, therefore, urged the Presby Church to withdraw the booking.

“We, therefore, call on you to give a call to those who booked the venue to withdraw their decision or consult all stakeholders in choosing a venue that is not perceived to give undue advantage to any other candidate above the others. We are counting on your usual cooperation as a stakeholder in the peace and stability of political parties and the country as a whole,” they said.

Meanwhile, two parliamentary aspirants- Richard A. Asare and Edger Kwaku Boateng on May 10, 2023, petitioned the General Secretary of the NDC, Fiifi Kwetey expressing their displeasure over the entrenched decision taken by five constituency executives in connivance with one of the aspirants, Charles Darko Yeboah to hold the primaries at Kukurantumi, his stronghold without broader consultation.

They accused the Constituency chairman Alhaji Mohammed Saddick, Lateef Adjani, Secretary, Joseph Asaah, Organizer, Alhaji Abdul Wahab Amadu, Communication officer, Gloria Akoto, deputy women’s organizer of their bias in the electoral processes.

They want the party to cancel the venue, and prohibit the five executives from involving in the electoral processes.

Information gathered however indicates that Edgar Kwaku Asamoah Boateng has secured an interlocutory injunction against the Presidential and Parliamentary Primaries in Abuakwa North over these concerns which have not been addressed.